Month: December 2020

No is a dog training “no-no”

"No" is a dog training no-no

“No” is never allowed in positive reinforcement dog training games. It’s a dog training no-no. 

For many people schooled in traditional, force training methods it’s the most difficult hurdle to get over. For them, the implication is that there are no “consequences” for bad, or even incorrect behavior. It’s not true. There are ramifications – they just don’t hurt, either physically or emotionally.

Not the way it works

Back in the olden days, dog training methods advocated both physical and verbal punishment. We grew up hearing that dogs should be smacked with a rolled-up newspaper for misbehavior. And “no” should be screamed at them for household infractions. 

A dog cowering when you reached for a newspaper was an indicator that “he knew he did something wrong.” Not true. He knew he was going to be punished. He probably had no idea why.

Evolution in dog training 

When you know better, you do better. Now we know, and science has proven in study after study, that positive reinforcement methods are both more effective and lasting. See the Introduction to the 2-Minute Trainer Method.

The objective of training games is teaching dogs to make good decisions. Giving them options, and rewarding when they choose “right.” So what do you do if your dog makes a “wrong” decision?

Try, try again

If you’re in the middle of a training game, get the dog’s focus back on you and try again. If it’s a situation where your dog has “checked out,” or run off with a toy, it’s up to you to get his/her attention back. We’ve been known to run off in the opposite direction, calling the dog’s name. Or get down on the floor and start laughing for no reason. Or turn our back and pretend we’re playing with a better toy. You can’t get anywhere without your dog’s attention.

It’s up to you to be more interesting than anything else – and more fun. That’s one of the reasons we keep our games short, fast, and fun. Neither we nor our dogs have a long attention span. 

“No” is not part of any game

When our dogs make a “wrong” decision during a game, we ignore it. We may look away, or say something like “try again,” but it’s never “no.” Encourage your dog to keep trying, rather than putting up a giant “stop” sign.

That’s what “no” is. It’s abrupt, harsh, and a barrier to what you want to accomplish. If you feel you need to say something to “mark” an incorrect choice, try something like “oops!” No one sounds angry saying “oops!”

Start training dog tricks with target practice

Are you intrigued by the idea of training dog tricks and even, possibly going for that Trick Dog title? We hope you are.

Last week we talked about the reasons to do dog trick training: https://2-minute-trainer.com/2020/12/18/dog-trick-training-is-not-only-fun-it-strengthens-the-bond-with-your-dog/

Where do you start? It’s one thing to read a list of tricks and think “my dog could do that,” and another to teach your dog how! 

You and your dog communicate without language. You know particular sounds your dog makes mean something. We all recognize when our dogs act a certain way, they’re trying to tell us something. And we each know our own dogs’ unique traits.

Opening a channel

Sharing a language would really help, wouldn’t it? A first step in creating that training language between you and your dog is to train a basic behavior that will be a common theme for many of the tricks you can train.

One of the most useful is target training your dog. It’s easy, it takes almost no time, and it’s something your dog will recognize and relate to regardless of where you are or what game you’re playing. We use it for training in all of the dog sports for competition. 

Get started with a target

First you’ll need an actual, physical target. We use the white plastic lids from food containers: whipped butter, sour cream, ricotta cheese, etc. We wish ice cream lids were plastic, but they’re not so they don’t hold up.

Torque (French Bulldog) is touching the target with his nose - he'll get a reward for that! Target training is one of the first steps in dog trick training.

Get your target and some treats. Put the target on the floor and if your dog reacts to it in any way, put a treat on the target. If he/she looks at it, sniffs it, licks it, paws at it, any reaction gets a treat. Be sure to put the treat on the target – we’re building value in the “thing.” Don’t hand your dog the treat – he/she already thinks you’re wonderful.  

The actual behavior you really want is for your dog to touch the target with her/his nose. We’ll get picky about that after your dog realizes that the target has value. For now, any interest in the target gets a treat. Five times. Then pick up the target. 

Control the target

It’s important that the dog doesn’t have access to the target when you’re not paying attention. If your dog touches it, and you’re not there to reward the touch, all the progress you’ve made is lost and the target loses value. So if the phone rings, or you have to grab more treats, be sure to pick up the target.

Once your dog catches on to the game, and it shouldn’t take long, you can start changing it up a little. Only reward when the dog’s nose touches the target – stop rewarding for paw touches or looks. Move the target around and see if your dog will run to it. You can even have more than one target and play with your dog moving between them. This is easier if you also have more than one person, or else you’ll be running back and forth with your dog!

Most people are amazed at how easy training dog tricks is. We’re not sure if it’s really easy, or if we have so much fun doing it, we don’t notice. Introducing the target only takes a few minutes. In almost no time, your dog will adore the game and know the “touch” or “target” trick. Training dog tricks really is just this simple.

Target love is deep

Once your dog knows the target game, he/she may find them places you may not expect. Hope’s first French Bulldog, Dax, adored her targets. Her first competition in agility was at an indoor soccer facility. And there were lots of round, white circles on the turf. She checked out quite a few of them! Good girl!

More recently, Hope used the target to introduce Torque to a new trick – “Hide.” She draped a throw over a portable table a few inches above the floor. She tucked the target underneath. Torque was in a “sit, stay,” and watching the whole procedure. He recognized the target right away and was raring to go. When Hope said “Go (his release word) hide!” Torque dashed under the table, touched the target, turned around, laid down, and stuck his face out under the throw. And just like that, Torque started his “Hide!” trick. (See last week’s post!)

Teach the target

We know it won’t take long to teach your dog to “target.” Let us know how it goes! We’re happy to answer questions, and we love hearing about the progress you and your dog are making with your 2-Minute dog training games!

Dog trick training – how to & why!

Why do dog trick training?

So many reasons!

  • It’s fun
  • Grows your dog’s understanding and vocabulary
  • Challenges both you and your dog to learn new skills
  • Deepens your bond with your dog
  • Prevents boredom
  • Provides an activity when you can’t get outside
  • Lets you give your dog focused attention in a short amount of time
  • Makes great videos and memories

Dog “tricks” or behaviors can be anything. Many years ago, it was almost a cliche that the dog went out to fetch the paper every morning. Of course most dogs didn’t really do it, but it was a trick that everyone thought their dog could do.

A cute new trick Torque is learning is "hide."

And there’s always something new to try! Hope and Torque just started working on “Hide!” She draped a blanket over a portable folding table, and put a target under the table. Torque started at normal heel position, and when he got his release cue, he charged right under that blanket to find the target. Click and reward! 

The cutest part was when he turned around and was peeking under the blanket. That’s another benefit of dog trick training – they’re so incredibly cute!

Of course we don’t really think that Torque knows “Hide” after only one session. We’ll see what happens when we try it again. We’ll record next time so you can follow along on his progress. Just like we’ve been sharing Tango’s learning to “Go Bowling.” 

You and your dog can do it

When you and your dog are familiar with the fundamentals (see Book 1: Clicker and Place), you can expand your dog’s repertoire to include any trick or behavior that you can imagine and your dog can physically perform. Lately we’ve seen quite a few videos of skate-boarding dogs. If that’s something you’d like your dog to do, go for it. Thousands of YouTube views await your awesome dog!

Going viral might be fun and profitable, but it’s not predictable. What every single dog can achieve, however, is a “Trick Dog” title. From home. Via video. 

It’s true. You don’t have to leave your dog’s comfortable training space. To earn an American Kennel Club Trick dog title, all you have to do is have your dog perform 10 tricks, each one twice, on video. And, since you’re interested in dog trick training, we’d even bet that your dog already knows a few of the Novice Level tricks, which include things like: 

  • Speak
  • Crawl
  • Fetch
  • Get a named object
  • Get in a box
  • Climb onto a platform or step
  • High five
  • Hold it
  • Jump through a hoop or over a bar
  • Kiss
  • Shake
  • Spin
  • Touch

There are more, but that gives you a good idea of the level of difficulty for the first level of dog trick training. As you progress through the five levels, the difficulty increases – but as you progress, so does your ability and your dog’s prowess!

Dog trick training

 
Of course your video does need to be evaluated, and you need to know someone who can do it. Fortunately, you do! Hope is an AKC CGC and Trick Dog Evaluator, as well as a S.T.A.R. Puppy instructor. If you’re interested in pursuing Trick Dog titles for you and your dog, just shoot us an email (trainers@2-Minute-Trainer.com) and we’ll get you started!

How’s your dog training energy?

Does your dog mope through training sessions like Eeyore plodding along? You can easily up your dog training energy. Last week we talked about our dogs getting tired and losing focus. This week the shoe is on the other foot! Just look in a mirror!

Our dogs reflect us in many ways, including energy level. You can change the mood in the room and your dog, by upping your own energy level.  

We know there are some days you just don’t feel it. Dogs pick up on our moods and, very honestly, show us how we’re doing. 

Try recording it

You don’t have to take our word for it. Set up a camera and record a session. For the first part of the session, speak quietly, move slowly, don’t celebrate. In the second part of the session, talk happily, move quickly, get energized. 

You’ll see an immediate difference in your dog. If you have a “hyper” pup, you may think you need to control the energy level in the room to keep your dog focused. The opposite is true. Focus on your dog, keep the connection and the feedback flowing. 

The test of your dog’s understanding of what you’ve been training is his/her ability to still listen and play with you while excited. That’s when you know you’re doing great, having fun, and being an effective dog trainer.

Energize everywhere

One key to getting your dog to play with you anytime, anywhere, is to up your own dog training energy level. This is another instance where you can, and should, “fake it ‘til you make it.” 

Will your dog know you’re faking it? Maybe at first. But get louder, slap a fake smile on your face, look into that adorable dog face and remember you love playing with this dog who adores you. 

Torque usually has plenty of energy when he puts his toys away.

Hope saw it just the other day with Torque. They were playing “put your toys away” – a game Torque normally loves. But he was distracted and moving slowly, if at all, between the toy pile and the bin he was supposed to put them in.

At first, Hope said “Torque, what’s wrong with you?” Then she realized that her dog was reflecting her attitude and demeanor. She was low energy, and her dog mirrored it. 

So she got loud, smiled, and moved faster. The change in Torque was instant. He was into the game right away and put all the toys away with a smile in his step. Hope’s energy level mattered. Yours does, too. 

The closer your bond with your dog, the more closely he/she will reflect your mood and energy level. There are some days all you want to do is snuggle on the couch and stare at a screen. But we promise you’ll achieve calm faster if the cuddle session follows a high-energy, 2-Minute-Dog-Training game session. 

Training is tiring

Remember that thinking is as tiring as physical activity. Using your brain requires just as much effort as using your body. Sometimes it’s even more exhausting. Training games that call on your dog to use his brain, solve problems, and remember, are the equivalent, in less than five minutes, of a half hour of “fetch.” 

By all means exercise your dog. We encourage all kinds of physical activity, as well as exercises like stretching and balancing to keep your dog fit. But exercising their minds is just as crucial – it keeps even old dogs young when they’re always challenged to learn new things.

Because as we all know – you can teach old dogs new tricks.

Tired dogs lose focus

You’re having fun playing a training game with your dog. It’s going great and you’re having fun. And all of a sudden, it seems like your dog’s brain has fallen out of his skull.   

Stuff your dog knows is just gone. It’s like you’re speaking a foreign language. What’s your dog trying to tell you?

Case in point

It happened to Hope and Torque recently. Fran, watching the session, saw the sudden drop-off in focus and precision. It took her observation “I think he’s tired” for Hope to realize it was time to call it a day.

We play training games with our dogs every day. And, since we expect that competitive obedience, rally, and agility will be back one day, some of the games are preparation for that day. 

We set specific criteria for all the games we play. When we’re playing “put your toys away” the toy has to go in the bin. For our version of “Quoits,” the ring has to go over the post. And for our Obedience and Rally games, we aim for “perfect” execution of each exercise. 

Sloppy is not acceptable

“Perfect” means that on the recall or “come,” our dogs sit directly in front of us, not shifted to either side. It’s one of Torque’s best things, after lots of recall games over his lifetime.

This is an example of Torque's perfect "front." He's perfectly straight and looking up at Hope.

On this particular day, Hope and Torque were well into their session, and it had been going great. His recall was fast and his sit in front of Hope was straight and square. Then, all of a sudden, he was lining up by her “cookie” hand. He lost focus and got sloppy.

Give it a rest

Hope’s first thought was “try again!” But, with Fran’s observation, she knew it was the wrong thing to do. Piling more on top of sloppy achieves nothing. It’s tempting to keep going and try to “fix” things. But if your dog is tired and loses focus, you can’t fix anything.

That’s one of the reasons it’s better to quit, or change gears, than keep going. You don’t have to end on a good note. Our dogs don’t know the session didn’t go well. They just know that game is done for now. They may not have gotten as many rewards as they would have liked. But that’s always their opinion.

Also – you’re the one who knows your dog best. You know when he’s being sloppy and losing focus. At the other end of the spectrum is Fran’s Booker, who always has trouble focusing (see our post “Special dogs need routine even more.”)

Good information

Even the dog training games that don’t go well give us good information. In this case, Hope learned that Torque has a limit for recalls. In future sessions, she’ll sprinkle other games between the recalls. Varying the games, even in a short, two-minute session, keeps everyone fresh and interested.